OUR natural geographical terrain served as an indigenous spiritual refuge in the numerous battles that were fought to liberate the country.
Scattered among the granite kopjes and hills of Zimbabwe, especially in the Matobo Hills, are our original archaeological sites of resistance.
There is the Shona axiom: “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”
In this context, the long-forgotten battlegrounds of our all but forgotten historical past is the long-suffering grass.
Is it not important to re-visit and remember these battle sites that eventually led to our victorious independence from colonial bondage?
In order to fully appreciate the numerous military encounters, this article will introduce some aspects of the military archaeology of the First Chimurenga (Second Matabele War).
It comes as no surprise that the hills, valleys and kopjes that were considered to be consecrated according to the indigenous Mwari religion of pre-colonial Zimbabwe, also became the sites of colonial resistance.
While we may be more familiar with Chibondo, Chimoio, Tembwe, Nyadzonia and other sites that remind us of Zimbabwe’s long war for our liberation many other battle sites where pre-colonial battles took place against the indigenous have been relegated to the annals of Eurocentric history.
Does the ground keep score of the many battles fought above it?
There are many sites on which many unrecorded battles were fought and still remain forgotten in a state of forsaken desolation over a century later; the battles of Fort Usher, Tuli, Mangwe, Chinengoma, Nkantola, Laing’s Graveyard, Inungu, to mention but a few.
In fact, the colonial settlers erected forts, which for them were strongholds, representing a show of force and colonial domination.
By building memorial forts and monuments on all major battle sites, which were protected under the law of Protection of Natural and Historical Monuments in early Rhodesia, the Pioneer colonials had stamped their authority and colonial military provenance on Zimbabwe.
The following are a few examples of the deliberate colonial practice of building commemorative forts over indigenous sacred spaces.
During the ‘Matopos Campaign’ in the uprisings of 1896, the Ndebele stronghold at Nkantola complex of kopjes was attacked by a settler-force under the command of Colonel Plumer, together with 200 colonial mounted infantry commanded by a Major Tyrie D. Laing.
During the bloodiest fighting of the colonial pioneer’s campaign, Laing’s force was taken by surprise by the Ndebele and lost 60 men during fighting.
The battlefield later came to be known as ‘Laing’s Graveyard’.
At Nkantola, the Ndebele stronghold, under Captain Nicholson, another fighting column was sent to Inungu, to storm the Ndebele army four days later, ‘to restore British prestige’, but the Matobo Hills proved impregnable and the Pioneer Column’s army was obliged to retreat defeated.
The British colonials, even in defeat, erected several monuments on these numerous battlefield sites in order to, ‘restore British prestige’.
In the communal lands, 90 kilometres west of Beitbridge, on the eastern bank of the Shashe River, is the village of Machuchuta, the entry point into our country of the infamous Pioneer Column and the ensuing early colonialists.
Here they erected Fort Tuli on July 1 1890, which became a training depot for the early pioneer army and police recruits.
This fort was initially named Fort Selous, after the hunter-explorer, who guided the column through the territory.
In 1893, Fort Tuli was the base from which the Southern Column marched to the defence of Bulawayo during the First Uprising.
A long forgotten site in our history is Hunters Road, the route through which Selous and other hunters and traders entered prior to the coming of the Pioneer Column.
An area rich in gold and other minerals led to many bloody encounters with the local inhabitants.
At Alice Mine, situated near Mazowe in Mashonaland Central, was the scene of a well-documented engagement in 1896 to 1897, where the small white community was attacked with the loss of several white lives, but what of the indigenous people who died – who will remember them?
The famous Bembezi Memorial and Laager sites, near the Mbembezi River, 43 kilometres north-east of Bulawayo, are national monuments erected by the colonials to those members of colonial Pioneer Column who died in the Battle of Bembezi in 1893, without a mention of the indigenous people who died during the fight recorded at the monument.
At the express wish of Cecil John Rhodes, the Allan Wilson Memorial was erected at World’s View in Matobo Hills, to the memory of the men of the Shangani Patrol who were killed on December 4 1893.
Their remains were originally brought from Fort Victoria (Masvingo) and interred at Great Zimbabwe, from where they were exhumed and re-interred at World’s View in March 1904, where they remain to this day.
The memorial, which consists of four bronze panels, was designed by R.A. Tweed and depicts in relief the members of the patrol.
The main panel reads: “Erected to the enduring memory of Alan Wilson and his men, who fell in fight against the Matabele on the Shangani River, December 4 1893. There was no survivor.”
A second inscription reads: “To Brave Men”
In the bush near the Shangani River, 58 kilometres southwest of Gweru, stands a granite obelisk which marks the spot where members of the Allan Wilson troops were ambushed and killed when at the end of the uprising, Allan Wilson and a party of men had been sent to capture Lobengula.
The battle came to be known as the Battle of Shangani.
In Fort Rixon, 75 kilometres east of Bulawayo, the Fort Rixon Memorial was erected to the Cunningham family and the other pioneer settlers who were killed on August 4 1896, during the beginning of the uprising.
Fort Usher, 12 kilometres east of Matobos, near Bulawayo, was built on a site chosen by Lord Barden-Powell.
During the battles of 1896-1897, which has come to be known as the First Chimurenga, was the Second Matabele Uprising against the early colonial settlers.
At this Fort,Cecil John Rhodes held his well known peace indaba (dare), with the defeated Ndebele leaders.
What has become of these historic spaces, given they are important components of our history?
Most former battle sites are degraded and remain pieces of scorched-earth without a sign of recognition, or a monument.
Giving these sites their prominent historic attention will add light and knowledge to these historic sites of resistance.
Needless to say, it is the land where the blood of our ancestors was spilt which needs to be cleansed and properly documented from our indigenous point of view.
Has Zimbabwe no brave men?
Where are the monuments to our own brave men and women of all the Chimurengas?
Dr Tony Monda holds a PhD. in Art Theory and Philosophy and a DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) and Post-Colonial Heritage Studies. He is a writer, lecturer, musician, art critic, practising artist and corporate image consultant. He is also a specialist art consultant, post-colonial scholar, Zimbabwean socio-economic analyst and researcher.
For views and comments email: tonym.monda@gmail.com